Kirk Franklin is known for his musical collaborations. Now a remix of his "123 Victory" with R&B singer and producer Pharrell Williams has soared to No. 1 on the Billboard's Hot Gospel Songs chart. The track originally debuted at number 15 on Dec. 5, 2015.
"Victory" is now Franklin's record-breaking fifth Hot Gospel Songs hit to reach the top spot.
The release follows a recent appearance Franklin made on the Beats 1 radio show OTHERtone with Williams and Scott Vener.
Franklin and Williams shared the creative process behind their "Victory" remix. They also recalled of their early introductions to church and gospel music.
"Somebody in my family wanted me to join the choir and I didn't like that. I didn't like all that attention on me," Williams noted.
He quickly added, "But then of course a Michael Jackson record comes up and you hop right up and you want all the attention and you just try and kill it."
Williams, who was raised in Hampton Roads, Virginia, grew up in the church. But he admits his appreciation of the experience came much later in life.
"I just remember the fire you would see in church, but because I was around it I thought everyone had experienced it," he shared. "As I got older I realized that not all churches were like Pentecostal churches or like Baptist churches."
Franklin, who was adopted at 4 years old by a 64-year-old woman, grew up listening to Aretha Franklin, Nat King Cole, Dinah Washington, Mahalia Jackson, and Bing Crosby. He didn't begin really listening to gospel music until he became a Christian at age 15.